Qinghe Immortal Clan.

Seeing that the other party seemed to have figured out some clues from his words, Song Qingming thought for a moment and then decided not to hide it from them anymore.

"Fellow Daoist Zhu, to be honest, I had some grudges with a sect in the Eastern Phoenix Kingdom a few years ago. The reason I chose to change my route and go through the Demon Cloud Valley is to avoid them."

This matter concerns me and others, and I feared it might implicate you, fellow Daoist, which is why I didn't speak frankly just now.

Previously, when Song Qingyu and I traveled to the Qiyun Immortal Cultivation World via a "teleportation array," we unfortunately encountered cultivators from the Qingyang Holy Sect in Xuanmu City, and they were tested by them.

Fearing that they might come to intercept them, Song Qingming and Song Qingyu discussed it and decided not to use the teleportation array, but to take a detour through the "Demon Cloud Canyon" between the two places.

Although traversing the "Demon Cloud Canyon" shrouded in demonic mist, one may encounter numerous powerful demonic beasts along the way.

However, since Song Qingming and the other two are all Nascent Soul cultivators, crossing this place is not that difficult; it will just take a few more months at most.

"Oh! I see. Fellow Daoist Song, you are overthinking it. How many of us cultivators can go through life without offending anyone? I understand this matter."

During the battle to vanquish the demon, I, Zhu, was able to escape unharmed thanks to the care of Fellow Daoist Song, and I have never forgotten this matter.

Although Zhu's cultivation level wasn't particularly high, he still knew quite a few fellow cultivators in the Eastern Phoenix Kingdom.

"I wonder which sect Fellow Daoist Song has clashed with? Would you be so kind as to inform me? Perhaps I can help you mediate this matter, saving you from worrying about it in the future."

"this,."

Seeing that Zhu Qi was eager to help, Song Qingming felt it was difficult to refuse, so he immediately told him about how he had killed the gray-robed man in the "Tower of Babel" secret realm years ago.

"I remember more than 20 years ago, I heard from a fellow Daoist that an elder surnamed Luo from the Qingyang Holy Sect had mysteriously perished outside.

Unexpectedly, this was true.

As one of the top ten sects of the Eastern Phoenix Kingdom, they actually went to the Tower of Babel in the Floating Cloud Mountains to steal people's opportunities and did such a shameful thing.

No wonder the Qingyang Holy Sect has been trying so hard to keep this person's death a secret all these years. They really have been a bit unethical in doing so.

Fellow Daoist Song, rest assured. Although I am not familiar with those people from the Qingyang Holy Sect, you have not done anything seriously wrong in this matter.

"Once I return, I will definitely inform my senior brother, the sect leader, about this matter and see if it can be..."

"Hey, it looks like someone's coming!"

Just as Zhu Qi was speaking, several streaks of light suddenly flew rapidly from the direction of the market in the distance, interrupting their conversation.

Seeing that the other party was moving incredibly fast and that all of them were Nascent Soul cultivators, Song Qingming and the other three frowned slightly and exchanged puzzled glances.

"Fellow Daoist Song, it wasn't for nothing that we've been waiting so long! You've finally arrived!"

A moment later, a voice was heard first, followed by three figures appearing in front of them.

Leading the group was a gray-robed Taoist wearing a golden crown, whose cultivation had reached the late Nascent Soul stage.

The remaining two were mid-Nascent Soul cultivators, namely Liang Wuquan, the Nascent Soul elder of the Qingyang Holy Sect, and the woman in purple robes, who had met Song Qingming and Song Qingyu before.

"It really is them!"

Having been tested by Liang Wuquan, Song Qingming already suspected that he might be being targeted by the "Qingyang Holy Sect," which is why he wanted to detour through the Demon Cloud Canyon back to the Eastern Phoenix Kingdom.

He was quite surprised that the other party had actually followed him all the way here.

It seems my premonition was right; the other party had already suspected me, otherwise they wouldn't have invited even a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator here.

Since he couldn't avoid it, he had no choice but to face it head-on.

Knowing that the other party probably wouldn't let him off easily, Song Qingming put aside his worries and his expression became firm.

Upon arriving, the three Golden Crown Daoists saw two Nascent Soul cultivators beside Song Qingming and Song Qingyu, and immediately addressed them:

“Fellow Daoists, we are here to inquire about some matters from the Song siblings. This has nothing to do with anyone else, so you may leave as you see fit.”

"Fellow Daoist, please speak plainly about what you wish to ask. We need to hurry on our journey and are afraid we don't have time to chat with you here."

Seeing Song Qingming step forward, the leader, "Master Jingyue," glanced at him and then asked directly:

"Fellow Daoist Song, may I ask if my junior brother Luo died at your hands?"

"Fellow Daoist, I find it difficult to answer your question. I have killed countless demonic and bandit cultivators over the years."

"I am not familiar with you, fellow Daoist, as this is our first meeting. How would I know if the person you mentioned is among them?"

"Hmph! I knew you wouldn't dare admit it, but now that we've come to your door, how can we let you get away with this?"

After speaking, a ball of azure flame immediately appeared in the hand of "Master Jingyue," who was the sect leader. It was the "Qingyang True Fire" that Song Qingming had seen on the gray-robed man back then.

However, compared to the raging flames unleashed by the gray-robed man back then, the ball of Qingyang True Fire in the hands of "Master Jingyue" was clearly much purer.

The next moment, before anyone could react, more than a dozen strands of azure spiritual light suddenly emerged from Song Qingming's body and flew into the flames in the other party's hand.

"The Azure Yang True Fire of our sect, once it touches the body, will not dissipate for decades, and even Nascent Soul cultivators will find it difficult to detect."

"Since you are covered in so much true fire energy, it seems Junior Brother Luo must have perished because of you."

After so many years, Song Qingming was somewhat surprised to find that he still had so much of the aura of "Qingyang True Fire" on him.

No wonder the four of them were chased by the "Qingyang Holy Sect" as soon as they arrived near the market.

As expected, the azure spiritual light clinging to his body was likely left behind when the gray-robed man self-destructed his nascent soul. It was just that he hadn't noticed it all these years, which was quite careless of him.

Seeing that the other party was well-prepared and that it seemed difficult for him to hide the truth, Song Qingming was about to admit it when Zhu Qizheng, who was standing to the side, interrupted them.

"Hehe! I had no idea who it was, but it's Sect Leader Wang of the Qingyang Holy Sect. I've been rude."

Upon hearing that he recognized his identity immediately, "Master Jingyue" standing in front looked at Zhu Qizheng with a puzzled expression.

"Who is your Excellency?"

"I am Zhu Qizheng from the Demon-Slaying Sect. Greetings, fellow Daoists!"

"The Demon-Slaying Sect! Are you a fellow Daoist from the Demon-Slaying Sect?"

Although Master Jingyue is a man of great status, not only is he the head of the "Qingyang Holy Sect", but he is also a highly skilled late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.

However, upon hearing that the person standing next to Song Qingming was actually from the "Dangmo Sect," one of the three major forces in the cultivation world of Donghuang Kingdom, his expression couldn't help but change slightly.

Clearly, he hadn't expected to encounter members of the Demon-Slaying Sect here.

Seeing the puzzled expressions on the faces of the three people opposite him, who seemed to doubt his identity.

Zhu Qi calmly raised his right hand, and the next moment a silver lightning bolt appeared in his hand, a unique technique that only high-level cultivators of the "Demon Slayer Sect" could cultivate.

"Thundercloud Dragon Soaring Technique!"

Upon seeing the silver lightning of "Master Jingyue," he immediately confirmed the other party's identity and returned the greeting with a cupped hand.

"So you are indeed a fellow Daoist from the Demon-Slaying Sect. I, Wang, have been disrespectful!"

"Sect Leader Wang, you are too kind. Fellow Daoist Song and I were just passing through this place and were about to return to Donghuang Kingdom together. I wonder if there is any misunderstanding between you and Fellow Daoist Song?"

"Well, Fellow Daoist Zhu, you may not know this, but Fellow Daoist Song may have some connection with an elder of our sect who suddenly disappeared a few years ago."

We have come here precisely to inquire about this matter in person; please forgive us, fellow Daoist.

Faced with Zhu Qizheng's direct questioning, the "Master Jingyue" who led the group hesitated for a moment before revealing the purpose of his visit.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Qizheng, who was standing to the side, immediately smiled and replied, "Sect Leader Wang must be referring to Fellow Daoist Luo of your sect."

Fellow Daoist Song had already told me about this matter. It was because Fellow Daoist Luo had competed with him for spiritual objects in the Tower of Babel, and he had some misunderstandings because he was trying to protect himself.

It's perfectly normal for us cultivators to vie for opportunities and spiritual treasures in secret realms. Why did Sect Leader Wang have to make such a fuss?

"Hmph! Fellow Daoist Zhu, you only heard one side of the story and you want to gloss over this matter so lightly? Isn't that a bit too deceitful?"

This guy surnamed Song is, in the end, just a cultivator from the Floating Cloud Mountain Range. Fellow Daoist, instead of standing on our side, you insist on speaking up for him, an outsider.

"If word gets out later, aren't you afraid it will damage the reputation of your Demon-Slaying Sect?"

Seeing Zhu Qizheng standing in front of her, looking like he was going to stand up for Song Qingming and act as a peacemaker, the purple-robed woman standing behind "Master Jingyue" immediately spoke up with displeasure.

The woman in purple robes was named Hu Lingyu. She and the man in gray robes who entered the Tower of Babel back then were a pair of cultivation partners in the Qingyang Holy Sect.

Ever since learning of the death of her Daoist partner, Hu Lingyu has been filled with resentment and has repeatedly tried to lead a group to the Floating Cloud Mountains to investigate the matter, but she has been stopped by the sect leader, "Master Jingyue".

Now that she has finally learned that her enemy is right in front of her, the desire for revenge in her eyes is no longer concealed.

Zhu Qizheng, on the other hand, also showed some displeasure when he saw that the other party seemed to disregard him in his words.

"It is true that Fellow Daoist Song comes from the Floating Cloud Mountain Range, but he is, after all, a guest specially invited by my Demon-Slaying Sect, and he has made great contributions to eliminating the demonic threat in the Qiyun cultivation world this time."

Mr. Zhu merely spoke a few words of fairness, intending to clear up the misunderstanding between you two. How could it have affected the reputation of our clan?

"Fellow Daoist, your words are rather inappropriate. In the cultivation world of Donghuang Kingdom, who is an outsider? Since when did it become your place to make decisions?"

"Hehe! Junior Sister Hu just misspoke in a moment of panic. I hope Fellow Daoist Zhu will not take it to heart. I apologize to you on her behalf."

Seeing that Zhu Qi was directly targeting Hu Lingyu, "Master Jingyue" standing to the side quickly waved his hand to stop her from speaking further.

Although the Qingyang Holy Sect is already a top-tier Nascent Soul sect with unparalleled strength in the cultivation world of Donghuang Kingdom, it rarely needs to consider the opinions of others in its daily actions.

However, when facing Zhu Qizheng, a Nascent Soul Elder of the Demon-Slaying Sect, Master Jingyue still showed a hint of apprehension and did not easily turn against him.

After all, the "Demon Slayer Sect" is recognized as one of the three major Nascent Soul cultivator forces in the entire Eastern Phoenix Immortal Continent.

Even though its sect no longer has any Nascent Soul cultivators to oversee it, and its strength ranks only at the very bottom of the three major powers, it is still not something that the current "Qingyang Holy Sect" can compare to.

Seeing that the great cultivator "Master Jingyue" took the initiative to raise his hand to apologize, Zhu Qizheng did not say anything more and immediately withdrew his gaze from Hu Lingyu.

After putting his hand down, "Master Jingyue" turned his gaze to Song Qingming not far away and said directly, "Fellow Daoist Zhu wants to clear up the misunderstanding, and I appreciate your kindness."

However, my junior brother Luo died unexpectedly outside the sect. The Grand Elder has long since ordered us to investigate this matter thoroughly and give the disciples an explanation. I hope you can understand.

Seeing that "Master Jingyue" was already hinting that he shouldn't force his way in, Zhu Qizheng still gritted his teeth and continued:

"Sect Leader Wang, our righteous sects should value harmony above all else. The misunderstandings of what happened back then cannot be entirely blamed on Fellow Daoist Song."

"I think it would be better if I could act as your witness and have Fellow Daoist Song compensate you all with some spirit stones, so we can all let this matter drop and be considered resolved peacefully."

Upon hearing this, "Master Jingyue" immediately changed his expression.

"Hmph! The loss of a Nascent Soul elder in our sect is not something that can be settled simply by paying some spirit stones. Although my Qingyang Holy Sect has no intention of making enemies with you, fellow Daoist."

But if Fellow Daoist Zhu insists on standing up for him, then don't blame us for offending him!

After saying that, "Master Jingyue" moved his magic power and cast a spell to take out a flying sword magic weapon, and his aura began to rise instantly.

Meanwhile, Song Qingming also cast a spell to release his natal magic weapon, the "Five Elements Divine Light Mirror".

Now that he's been cornered here, he knows there's no point in explaining further; in the cultivation world, strength still reigns supreme, no matter where you are.

"Sect Leader Wang, hold your hand!"

Seeing that the two sides were about to fight, Zhu Qizheng suddenly stepped forward and secretly transmitted a message to "Master Jingyue".

Upon hearing the other party's telepathic message, a hint of surprise flashed in the eyes of "Master Jingyue," who had previously shown some anger.

A moment later, he stopped casting the spell on his own.

"Today I will give Fellow Daoist Zhu some face, but our sect will never let this matter rest. I hope you all will act accordingly!"

After saying this, "Master Jingyue" immediately put away the magical treasures he carried.

Hu Lingyu and Liang Wuquan, who were standing to the side, were both incredulous at the drastic change in the attitude of "Master Jingyue".

"Sect Leader, are we not going to avenge Senior Brother Luo?"

"Let's go, we can talk about it when we get back!"

".."

Before the two could reply, "Master Jingyue" transformed into a streak of light and fled from the place.

Seeing this, Liang Wuquan and Hu Lingyu could only reluctantly follow the other party and leave the place.

Before leaving, Hu Lingyu cast an unfriendly glance at Song Qingming's location, clearly showing that her hatred had not dissipated in the slightest.

Only after the three members of the "Qingyang Holy Sect" disappeared did Song Qingming step forward and cup his hands to Zhu Qizheng, saying, "I am very grateful to Brother Zhu for helping me out of this predicament today. Please accept my greeting."

Seeing this, Zhu Qizheng quickly waved his hand and said, "Oh, Fellow Daoist Song, you're too kind."

Fellow Daoist, you were specially invited by our sect to help the Qiyun cultivation world. Now that you've encountered trouble because of this, how can I, Zhu, sit idly by?

If something were to happen to you here today, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to explain it to Senior Brother Lü and the others when I get back.

Please rest assured, fellow Daoist. I have just revealed your identity to him and informed him of the agreement between you and our sect.

Master Jingyue is not someone who doesn't know what's important. Even if he dares to disregard me, he certainly won't dare to attack you again until your agreement with our sect is fulfilled.

Otherwise, they would be openly violating the rules established by my Demon-Slaying Sect, and if the sect investigates this matter, their Qingyang Holy Sect will also find it difficult to explain.

After I return to the sect another day, I will explain this matter to my senior brother, the sect leader, and ask him to find an opportunity to mediate and try to resolve this matter as soon as possible by spending some spirit stones.

However, it's easy to dodge a spear in the open but hard to guard against a hidden arrow. The Qingyang Holy Sect might not dare to openly cause trouble for you in the Floating Cloud Mountains.

However, fellow Daoists, you should still be careful when you encounter their people in the future, lest they attack you in secret.

Song Qingming came to the Qiyun Immortal Cultivation Realm to eliminate demons at the invitation of the "Demon Suppression Sect". Before the agreement between the two parties to borrow the Heart Refining Tower was fulfilled, he was nominally employed by the other party.

If the Qingyang Holy Sect were to attack him here, it would be breaking the rules established by the Demon Slayer Sect, something they would naturally need to consider.

Moreover, Zhu Qizheng also informed Song Qingming of his special status as a disciple of the "Tai Xu Sect".

As the leader of one of the ten major sects in the Eastern Phoenix Kingdom, Master Jingyue did not know much about it, but he had also heard of the existence of the "Tai Xu Sect".

After weighing the pros and cons, he finally chose to give Zhu Qizheng and the "Demon Slayer Sect" behind him face and temporarily retreated.

After hearing Zhu Qizheng's explanation, Song Qingming understood and immediately took out some spirit stones from his person to thank the other party for his help.

Although Song Qingming himself possesses strength comparable to that of a great cultivator, and also has a natal sword intent left to him by his master "Ling Xuzi," he might not necessarily lose to "Jingyue Zhenren" and the others in a real fight.

However, thanks to Zhu Qizheng's help, Song Qingming was able to avoid such a dangerous fight, and he was very grateful to him.

Zhu Qizheng, after declining the spirit stones offered by Song Qingming, did not stand on ceremony with him.

Soon the four of them left the place together and headed to the nearby market.

".."
-

"Floating Clouds Mountain Range", Wei State, Qinghe County.

In a festively decorated hall on the west side of Mount Funiu, a large character for "longevity" hangs in the center, and sitting below it is Song Yuanfang, the eldest elder of the Song family.

At this moment, he was wearing a red burial robe, his face beaming with a kind smile, as he faced a group of younger family members bowing to him.

"Wishing our ancestor boundless happiness and longevity!"

".."

Song Yuanfang's Daoist partner, Huang Leqing, had only average talent in cultivation. He only reached the late Foundation Establishment stage and failed to break through to the Golden Core stage. He had already exhausted his lifespan and passed away more than a hundred years ago.

Since Huang Leqing's passing, Song Yuanfang has not remarried in the past hundred years, but he has taken in several concubines from other families who were sent for marriage alliances. Including the children Huang Leqing had left behind, Song Yuanfang now has several hundred direct descendants at the foot of the mountain, and more than a dozen of them possess spiritual roots.

"Haha, get up, all of you! By the way, have Lin Yu and Jing Yun arrived yet?"

The dozen or so juniors in front of Song Yuanfang were all of average talent, with the best one being just an ordinary person with three spiritual roots.

It was only with the strong support of his elder, Song Yuanfang, and after taking two "Foundation Building Pills" that he barely managed to successfully establish his foundation.

If we're talking about the most talented of his descendants, it has to be Song Yuanfang's direct granddaughter, Song Linyu. She's already at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage and has a good chance of advancing to the Golden Core stage.

It's a pity that Song Linyu couldn't stay in "Funiu Mountain" and got married early, which really made Song Yuanfang feel regretful.

"Hehe, it's Grandpa's 400th birthday, how could his granddaughter not come back to congratulate him!"

Just as Song Yuanfang asked a question, a familiar laugh came from the doorway, and then Song Linyu led his Daoist partner Bai Jingyun into the hall carrying congratulatory gifts.

"Wishing Grandpa a long and healthy life, and may he enjoy eternal bliss. May he hold two more chubby little boys next year!"

"Hehe, you little rascal, you always tease your grandpa. You've been coming back with two people all these years, why don't you bring one of them to see me?"

"Grandpa, Jingyun and I are busy cultivating right now, so we don't have time to think about this."

Seeing his Daoist partner Song Linyu get hit by the boomerang, Bai Jingyun, who was standing to the side, quickly stepped forward to interrupt the two and presented the congratulatory gift he had brought.

"Congratulations on your birthday, Grandpa. This is a second-grade superior magic robe that Lin Yu personally selected for you. I hope you like it."

"Hahaha, I love it, I love it! How could I not love it when Lin Yu picked it out herself? Get up and sit down!"

Upon seeing that Bai Jingyun's gift was an exquisite and gorgeous second-grade superior magic robe, Song Yuanfang immediately smiled and nodded, then invited her to sit next to him.

Seeing that only Song Yuanfang's family was in the hall, and no other Song family cultivators were present, Song Linyu immediately asked with some confusion:

“Grandpa, you are the eldest elder of the family. If your 400th birthday celebration is so shabby, people will laugh at you in the future.”

Upon hearing this, Song Yuanfang immediately shook his head and said, "Sigh, what do you know?"

In the past few years, during the great war in the State of Lu, so many members of my family perished at once. It would be easy for people to gossip if I, as the eldest elder, held a grand banquet at this time.

Moreover, since the elders haven't returned yet, it's best for everyone to keep a low profile and keep things simple!

“Grandpa is right. We don’t know when Master and Mistress will be back, and Uncle Bai is still in seclusion healing his injuries. It’s always good to be careful at this time.”

"Hmph, I was just complaining casually at home, why are you all ganging up on me and lecturing me? It's really bullying."

"Hehe, Lin Yu, it's not easy for you to come back. I didn't expect that there would be anyone in Funiu Mountain who would dare to bully you. That's quite strange."

How about I, your brother, uphold justice for you?"

As they were talking, two figures walked in from outside. They were Song Linrui and Song Siqing, two Golden Core elders of the Song family.

"Hey! Brother Linrui, why are you back too? I thought you were still at Chiyun Mountain!"

"It's the Grand Elder's 400th birthday, after all. Do you think we wouldn't know if you didn't inform me?"

"Wishing the Grand Elder good health and longevity. This is a congratulatory gift entrusted to me by my Uncle Yuanhao and the others. He is currently unable to leave Chiyun Mountain and asked me to convey his greetings."

After saying that, Song Linrui stepped forward and presented the dozen or so congratulatory gifts he had brought.

Apart from Song Yuanhao, the others were all sent by Foundation Establishment cultivators stationed at "Red Cloud Mountain" by their families, which shows that they had all known about this matter for a long time.

"Sigh, I didn't want to trouble you, but I didn't expect everyone to find out anyway. You've been very thoughtful."

For this birthday celebration, Song Yuanfang did not hold a grand event, only informing his close descendant Song Linyu. Unexpectedly, the news had already leaked out "unintentionally".

Seeing this, Song Siqing, who was standing to the side, quickly said with a smile:
"Elder, you have devoted so much to the family for so many years. We have all grown up under your watchful eyes. Now that you are celebrating your 400th birthday, how could we not come to offer our congratulations?"

Otherwise, when the elders return another day, they might scold us for being heartless!

"Aunt Siqing is right. If we pretend we didn't see anything and you, Elder, don't hold a banquet, then we would be heartless."

As they were talking, several more figures walked in from outside the hall. They were several Foundation Establishment cultivators from the "Yu" generation of the family.

"Wishing the Grand Elder a long and healthy life!"

".."

Before long, a dozen or so people arrived, all of them Foundation Establishment elders from various places who had come back to offer their birthday greetings.

As the eldest elder of the family, Song Yuanfang's status in the family was second only to Song Qingming and a few other ancestors, even though he had decided long ago not to hold a banquet.

However, apart from those who were far away in "Red Cloud Mountain" and unable to return, most of the cultivators above the Foundation Establishment stage in the family rushed back to offer their congratulations after hearing the news.

Looking at these uninvited family members who had come all the way back to offer their congratulations, Song Yuanfang felt a surge of excitement.

"Back then, if it weren't for the patriarch personally appointing me, I probably would never have been able to establish my foundation in this lifetime. What merit do I have to sit in the position of the family's Grand Elder?"

"I am deeply grateful for your respect and for remembering my birthday. I believe I have lived up to the expectations of my ancestors in this lifetime."

".."

The sudden arrival of so many people caught Song Yuanfang's family off guard, so they quickly summoned some of their family disciples to come and help in the courtyard.

Fortunately, all those who came were stewards and elders of the family at the Foundation Establishment stage or above. Otherwise, if all the family members at the Qi Refining stage came, this small courtyard would not have been able to accommodate everyone for a while.

As night fell, the courtyard began to bustle with activity, as people stepped forward to toast Elder Song Yuanfang.

Looking at these younger members of the family in front of him, each one of them was exceptionally talented, far surpassing his own generation. Song Yuanfang felt very gratified.

Today, apart from the three ancestors of the family, Song Qingming, Song Qingyu, and Huang Siyuan, there are no other members.

Besides Song Changze and his wife, who live far away in the East Sea, there are five other cultivators in the Song family who are at the Golden Core level or above: Song Yuanfang, Song Yuanhao, Zhang Yurong, Song Linrui, and Song Siqing.

Although some of them have officially joined the sect, they all concurrently serve as family elders.

The family now has many level-two or higher spirit plant masters, and they can cultivate the "Five Elements Fruit Trees" and "Jade Marrow Golden Branches" in the spirit herb garden on their own.

In addition, Song Siqing's "alchemy skills" have already broken through to the third level, so even though Huang Siyuan was not around, it did not affect the family's "foundation-building pill" refining.

Almost every two or three years, a member of the Song family will successfully establish their foundation. Now, the number of foundation-establishing cultivators has also increased significantly, reaching more than eighty people.

As the family has grown and prospered, the Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Song family no longer serve as elders, but are now called stewards, and are under the jurisdiction of the family's Golden Core elders.

In addition, the number of clansmen in the Qi Refining stage has exceeded four thousand, and the number of mortals in Qinghe County, Baishi Ridge, Chiyun Mountain and other places has reached nearly ten million.

Although these cannot compare to the "Xiaoyao Sect" which has been passed down for thousands of years, they can still be considered a powerful force in the entire cultivation world of the Floating Cloud Mountain Range.

In Song Yuanfang's eyes, all of this, from nothing to something, had only taken less than four hundred years.

".."

Just as everyone was still immersed in the banquet, Song Linrui, who was sitting next to Song Yuanfang, suddenly put down his wine glass and stood up with a solemn expression.

"Hey! Lin Rui, what's wrong?"

Before Song Linrui could answer, Bai Jingyun and the other Golden Core cultivators at the table, whose cultivation levels were lower, also sensed an unusual fluctuation of spiritual energy coming from outside.

"This spiritual energy seems to be coming from the cave on the mountaintop. I don't know if it's from Yushan or Yuping. Everyone, come with me to take a look."

Sensing that someone outside seemed to be agitating the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, Song Yuanfang quickly led everyone away from the hall and flew swiftly to the mountaintop.

Although the moon was still shining brightly in the sky, dark clouds had already begun to churn and gather, a natural phenomenon that would occur when a cultivator attempted to break through to the Golden Core realm.

"Elder, which member of the clan dares to claim to have formed their core here?"

"It seems that Yu Shan was the one who triggered the strange phenomenon. He was only trying to break through to the Golden Core realm for the first time, and he was able to trigger such a strange phenomenon."

It seems our ancestor was right. His talent is no less than ours. Even if he doesn't succeed this time, he'll have a chance to advance to the Golden Core realm sooner or later!

A few years ago, Song Yuanfang purchased two Five Elements Core Formation spiritual items for his family from the "Four Seas Merchant Alliance" in Chiyun Mountain.

After a fierce battle among the Foundation Establishment cultivators of the family, the two Core Formation spiritual artifacts finally fell into the hands of Song Yushan and Song Yuping, members of the "Yu" generation.

Song Yuping possesses a "wind" attribute spiritual root, making him the second cultivator with a unique spiritual root in the family after Song Yuanhao.

With the family's full support, he successfully established his foundation at the age of thirty. Now, at less than one hundred and thirty years old, he is already attempting to break through to the Golden Core realm for the second time.

Another one, Song Yushan, whose generation name is "Yu", has slightly lower spiritual root aptitude and is a cultivator with three spiritual roots.

However, he has a natural talent for array formations and is now a rare second-level high-grade array master. He has also been appreciated by Song Qingming, a Nascent Soul ancestor.

When Song Yushan was young, his cultivation speed was average, and his talent was not outstanding among cultivators of the same generation.

However, when he was twenty years old, he suddenly disappeared during a disturbance caused by monsters in "Cloud Mist Mountain" and his whereabouts became unknown.

Unexpectedly, when he returned to his family a hundred years later, he was already a highly skilled late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.

During this period, apart from the Grand Elder Song Yuanfang, no one knew where Song Yushan went after his disappearance, or how he successfully established his foundation.

Now that Song Yushan is attempting to break through to the Golden Core realm for the first time, Song Yuanfang was surprised that he had triggered a celestial phenomenon before Song Yuping, and couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

Although a cultivator can trigger extraordinary phenomena in the heavens and earth, it does not necessarily mean that he will successfully form his core. However, being able to do so on his first attempt to break through to a higher realm still shows some talent.

"Jingyun, Linyu, go back and help me handle things at home. Siqing, you go and quickly notify the family law enforcement team to activate the mountain protection formation."

Lin Rui and I will stay here to protect the Dharma of Yushan.

Seeing that Song Yushan had actually triggered a “heavenly phenomenon” at this crucial moment, Song Yuanfang and the others had long lost their interest in drinking wine and celebrating their birthdays.

Under the instructions of Elder Song Yuanfang, everyone immediately dispersed and soon the entire "Funiu Mountain" was in a state of high tension, which was quite rare for them.

Just as the protective array of Mount Funiu was being activated, a black figure was also watching this scene from mid-air hundreds of miles away.

"It's already started so quickly, it seems like it's still a bit lacking in preparation!"

The dark figure stood still and muttered something to itself before disappearing into mid-air in a flash.

".."

One year later, atop the Song family's "Funiu Mountain".

As the cave gate slowly opened, a mature-looking man in black robes walked out with a beaming smile.

Outside the cave, the Song family cultivators, led by Elder Song Yuanfang, were already waiting.

Sensing that the person in front of him had reached the Golden Core realm, Song Yuanfang immediately stepped forward and came to stand in front of him.

"Yu Ping, congratulations on your successful formation of the Golden Core. From today onwards, you will be the sixth Golden Core elder of our Song family."

"We congratulate the Sixth Elder on achieving the Great Success of the Golden Core!"

"I am able to be where I am today entirely thanks to the support of the Grand Elder and all the elders."

Faced with the crowd bowing in gratitude, Song Yuping, dressed in a black robe, quickly smiled and returned the bow.

The mountaintop was filled with joy and laughter.

"By the way, Elder, has my elder brother come out of seclusion? I haven't seen him."

Seeing that one person seemed to be missing from the crowd that came to congratulate him, Song Yuping couldn't help but ask.

"Don't worry, Yushan came out of seclusion half a year ago. His injuries are not serious. A few days ago, he said he wanted to go to Yinfeng Ridge to relax, so I arranged for him to go there to heal his injuries."

You've only just formed your core; you still need to stabilize your cultivation. Let's wait until we have more time to go see him!

"Yes! Elder, rest assured, Yu Ping understands."

".."

The "Yinfengling" mineral vein is located in the misty mountains.

"Yinfeng Ridge" was originally a mineral vein jointly excavated by the Song family and the Xiaoyao Sect. It has been mined for more than two hundred years since its discovery.

As the veins gradually deplete, the amount of ore that can be mined from them each year is also gradually decreasing.

This second-grade superior spiritual vein, deep in the "Cloud and Mist Mountain," was once guarded by hundreds of cultivators, but now less than half of them remain.

Fortunately, with the rapid development of the northeast of Weiguo in recent years, there are fewer monsters in Yunwu Mountain than before. Although the number of cultivators guarding Yinfeng Ridge has decreased, it has not had a significant impact.

After two months of seclusion to heal his injuries, Song Yushan looked much better than before. He then got up, left his cave, and went to the woods behind the mountain.

Looking at the fallen leaves swept down by the autumn wind, Song Yushan felt a deep sense of empathy.

Compared to the exceptionally talented Song Yuping, Song Yushan was already close to 170 years old, and his chances of breaking through to the Golden Core realm were already slim.

After years of cultivation, he finally managed to break through to the Golden Core realm, but he failed and did not succeed in attaining the Great Dao of the Golden Core.

He had already spent all of his tens of thousands of family merits in order to exchange for the Core Formation spiritual item.

He will probably need to spend several more years recovering from his injuries, and he doesn't know if he will ever have the chance to break through to a higher realm again in his lifetime. He can't help but feel a little bitter.

Walking slowly forward through the fallen leaves, Song Yushan soon arrived at the back mountain valley, which was regarded as a forbidden area by the Song family cultivators.

With a swift movement, he leaped directly into the canyon. He heard a whooshing sound beside his ear, and Song Yushan was already at the bottom of the canyon.

Looking at this familiar place he had visited countless times, Song Yushan was about to take a step forward when he suddenly sensed an additional presence in the valley.

"This is.."

Upon seeing this, Song Yushan's expression immediately changed, and he quickly walked towards the barrier ahead, soon arriving at a medicinal garden.

"You're quite the lazy one. Didn't I tell you to keep an eye on the cave when I left? How come the spiritual energy in the herb garden has become thinner? How long has it been since you came back?"

"It was Yu Shan's oversight in failing to properly maintain the restrictions on this place. Please forgive him, senior."

"Hmph! I know, it was Song Qingming who was afraid that staying here would delay your Core Formation, so he told you to leave first!"

He himself is not very talented, and it will probably be difficult for him to form his core. That's why he was afraid that I would hinder your cultivation. Little did he know that in the path of cultivation, it is never as good as walking steadily as walking fast.

The path to the Golden Core is still quite far for you. It will probably take some time for your injuries to heal. So stay here and take care of the spiritual field for me, and calm your mind!
"When the time comes, I will let you leave."

"May I ask, when are you referring to, senior?"

"Your promise from last time should have been fulfilled, right? You have legs, you can leave anytime you want!"

Faced with Song Yushan's question, Qu Bai remained silent for a moment before turning around and walking back to his cave, leaving Song Yushan standing there dumbfounded.

".."
-

In the northern part of Wei State, in the western sky above "Red Cloud Mountain".

A streak of white light flashed past. Standing on the flying boat, Song Qingyu gazed at the familiar scenery below and couldn't help but speak:

"Seventh Brother, it's rare for you to travel so far. We're finally home, and I can finally focus on my cultivation for a while!"

"We told you not to go, but you insisted on coming along. Why are you complaining now?"

".."

Just as the flying boat was about to approach "Red Cloud Mountain", Song Qingming, who was sitting on the flying boat, seemed to sense something and suddenly got up and looked ahead.

(PS: It's National Day holiday again. Xiaomeng wishes all readers a happy National Day.)

I didn't go anywhere today, just to add an extra chapter and ask for some monthly tickets. Sorry for the time delay due to the extra chapter; I'll try my best to adjust in the future. (End of Chapter)